Max Andrew Mata (born 10 July 2000) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a forward for League Of Ireland club Sligo Rovers and the New Zealand national team.
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Max Andrew Mata[1] | ||
Date of birth | (2000-07-10) 10 July 2000 (age 22) | ||
Place of birth | New Zealand | ||
Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Sligo Rovers | ||
Number | 27 | ||
Youth career | |||
–2018 | Onehunga Sports | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2015–2017 | Wellington Phoenix Reserves | 16 | (8) |
2017–2018 | Eastern Suburbs | 18 | (3) |
2019–2020 | Grasshopper II | 10 | (5) |
2019 | → Nõmme Kalju (loan) | 14 | (9) |
2021 | Real Monarchs | 19 | (2) |
2022– | Sligo Rovers | 25 | (7) |
National team‡ | |||
2017 | New Zealand U-17 | 7 | (5) |
2018–2019 | New Zealand U-20 | 6 | (5) |
2019– | New Zealand | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 August 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2019 |
After shining in New Zealand as the youngest goalscorer in the country's top-flight at 15, Mata would travel to Switzerland to train with Swiss giants, Grasshoppers. After an impressive trial period, he signed for the club.
After scoring four goals in his first seven games for the reserves, he was loaned to Estonian side, Nõmme Kalju, in 2019 to further his development in a first-team environment. Mata never established himself with Zurich's first-team.
After joining on loan, Mata made his professional debut for Nõmme Kalju in their 5–0 loss to Celtic in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round on 24 July 2019.[2] Mata would make 20 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 12 times.
With no future for Mata in Switzerland, he left the club on a free transfer in December 2020 and signed for American second-tier side, Real Monarchs.[3]
On 15 February 2022, it was announced that Mata had signed for League of Ireland Premier Division club Sligo Rovers.[4]
Mata was named in the New Zealand U-20 side for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He was picked for the tournament even though he would be unavailable for the first two games of the tournament due to a red card that he picked up in the final of the OFC U-19 Championship qualifiers.[5][6] Mata ended up making two appearances for the U-20s, first in the last group game against Uruguay, where he captained the team, and in the round of 16 penalty shootout loss to Colombia.[7][8]
Mata made his international debut on 15 November 2019, coming on as a substitute for New Zealand in their 0–1 loss to Lithuania.[9]
Mata is of Māori and Cook Island Māori descent.[10]
Sligo Rovers F.C. – current squad | |
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